CONNEAUT, Ohio — After years of waiting, the city of Conneaut is moving forward with a major cleanup project on a nearly five-acre industrial site that has sat vacant for two decades.
The property on Harbor Street once housed a thriving industrial operation dating back to the 1800s, most notably the Astatic company.
Astatic manufactured everything from sonar devices to microphones during World War II that became industry standards.
"Was one of the best things this town had to offer," said Roger Burdick, whose grandfather was one of Astatic's co-founders.
The site has remained empty for about 20 years as buildings have been slowly torn down. City Manager Nick Sanford said the lengthy cleanup process stems from decades of industrial operations that predated modern environmental regulations.
"[Astatic] touched everybody," Sanford said. "And it was a good thing. The byproducts and how products were handled - I don't think anybody knew any different. How we deal with it now and move forward is essential."
Sanford told News 5 that in its heyday, Astatic funneled quite a bit into the local economy, including hundreds of jobs, including his grandmother and all her siblings.
A $1.2 million state grant is funding the environmental remediation, paving the way for demolition of the remaining structures. The city expects to complete the cleanup by next summer.
"My administration seeks to demolish [the remaining structures] and have a clean slate for the entire property," Sanford said.
While specific plans remain undetermined, Sanford hopes to relocate the city's public works department to the site and build a new centralized fire station. The current fire station dates back to 1876 and is believed to be one of the oldest operating firehouses in the nation.
Burdick, who remembers the property's industrial heyday, is optimistic about its future.
"It can look nice again," Burdick said.
